This article was taken from the Premier Soccer-Site Champions Soccer Training.com
Soccer Flexibility is important for two major reasons:It will help improve performance and prevent injuries.The major problem with stretching is that nobody’s doing it.Boring, tedious, uncomfortable comes to mind.It’s usally best to just incorporate it into the training-session, at the end of a workout.We will cover some basic-guidelines and pointers here first:
• The different types of stretching
• The Main Structures to keep flexible
• The best time for stretching
The Different Types
There is…
1. Static Stretching
2. Dynamic Stretching
3. Ballistic Stretching, and
4. PNF-Stretching
You might include just one, or all the above in a soccer flexibility session.
Warm-Up
You never want to stretch completely cold, that could even cause injury!So a warm-up is obligatory, but a short and light one is usually enough: even just two minutes might do the trick, break a light sweat and you’re rolling !;-)Stretching right after a training-session will obviously take care of all that.
Static Stretching
Is by far the most common, and should never be done before nor during a game or a training session.Instead you can do a stretching workout 4-6 hours after the training-session or simply right at the end of same. You find the stretch and hold for about 15 seconds max. 3-5 x per structure should be the minimum.
NOTE: Update on Static Stretching!! Try this instead: Hold for 5s., relax for 5s.(on for 5, off for 5), 15 s. total per set, 3-5 sets per session.
Dynamic Stretching
Is done during a movement, like Lunge-Walks for example. This can be done in a warm-up setting or even during the training.
Ballistic Stretching
Some examples are Hamstring-Kicks, Forward-Backward Swings and Sideway-Swings. As a general rule; the faster the movement, the better you want to be warmed first.
PNF-Stretching
PNF-, or Post Tetanic Neural Facilitory Stretching involves isometric resistance followed by static stretching followed by isometric holds in the increased range. So you: stretch, resist, stretch, resist, hold. It’s good to finish these up with some statics.
Soccer Structures/Stretches
The very most important structures/soccer stretches are:
• The Hip: Psoas, Rectus Femoris, Piriformis.Video
• The Hamstrings-Group: Lateral, Sagital and Medial, read: the outside, inside-and back of the hamstrings-group or: all over the place !;-) To be fancy: The Biceps Femoris, The Semimebranosus and Semitendinosus.Video
• The Calf-Complex: Posterior and Anterior both, so front and back, especially though at the back.Video
• The Adductors: Posterior, Medial and Anterior, read: Back, mid- and front parts of this muscle-group.
This article was taken from the Premier Soccer-Site Champions Soccer Training.com
